Lynne Tait, who leads the Save Druridge Group, was delighted with the public’s response. She added that ‘the auction will go a long way to helping us with our campaign costs’. She thanked everyone who supported the event, including ‘our professional auctioneer John Heyes’.

Objectors fear that the mine will destroy a stunning part of Northumberland, impact on climate change, damage tourism and have a negative impact on wildlife and ecology. They also say the scheme will cause road issues and have negative effects on residential amenity, including noise, dust and air pollution.

But Banks and its supporters point to jobs, economic benefits for the wider area and restoration plans for the site.

The proposal is to extract coal, fireclay and sandstone over a five-year period, with total operations lasting seven years.